1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to rigid carbon compositions comprising carbon nanotubes and methods of synthesizing carbon nanotubes in situ in a bulk material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of known methods for synthesis of carbon nanotubes. Several are summarized in Journet et al., “Production of carbon nanotubes,” Appl. Phys. A 67, 1-9 (1998). These methods include electric are discharge, laser ablation, solar energy, catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons, electrolysis synthesis from bulk polymer of citric acid and ethylene glycol, low-temperature solid pyrolysis of silicon carbonitride, and in situ catalysis. These methods produce materials containing carbon nanotubes in the form of powder, soot, soft material, hard shell, rubbery material, filaments, porous material, and coatings. None of these methods produces a rigid material containing carbon nanotubes and metal.
Rinzler et al., “Large-scale purification of single-wall carbon nanotubes: process, product, and characterization,” Appl. Phys. A 67, 29-37 (1998) discloses a method of making “bucky paper.” Bucky paper is a sheet that is made almost entirely of carbon nanotubes. The method involves purifying single-walled nanotubes (SWNT's) made by laser ablation. The SWNT's are dispersed in aqueous solution and filtered. The filter cake is a bucky paper.
Du et al., “Preparation of carbon nanotubes composite sheet using electrophoretic deposition process,” J. Mat. Sci. Lett. 21, 2002, 565-568 discloses a process of making a carbon nanotube/epoxy composite. Carbon nanotubes were dispersed in a solution of EPI-Rez and EPI-CURE in ethanol. Electrophoresis was used to deposit the carbon nanotubes on an electrode. Evaporating the solvent produced a carbon nanotube composite sheet containing about 55% carbon nanotubes, but containing no metal.
There is need for rigid carbon composition containing carbon nanotubes made by bulk synthesis.